Dry closet



Aug' 11,-1931. c. B. scHUMAcHEVR DRY CLOSET Filed Jan. 10, 1930 QENTOR Patented Aug. 11, 1931 "UNI-TED- STATS cHARLEsB. sonni/menen, or rirrsnunem rnlvnsynvenm DRY cLosEr -Applicationlled`2l'anuary"10, 1930. 'Serial No. 419,834.A

My inventionfrelates to dry closets particularly adapted to be used -onaeroplanes, motorbusses, orany other vehicles employing internalvcombustion engines for propelling 0roperating the same.

Important objects of the invention'are to provide a dry closet, of the character described, which utilizes the exhaust products of internal combustion engines for completely f consuming and ldissipating the excrement discharged therein, which is automatic in its operation, which embodies novel means for drawing noxious vapors and odors and gases therefrom, which maybe readily installed in vehicles already constructed `as Well as form a component part of anew vehicle structure, and which ispo'sitiveiniits action and comprises relatively few parts.l i

Further obfects ofl he invention are to provide apdevice ofthe class stated, which is simple in its construction and arrangement, durable and' eili'cient lin its use, sanitary, and comparatively f inexpensive Vto manufacture and install. y l:

`With the foregoing and other 4objects, in view whichlfwill appear'y as the description proceeds, the inventionresides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of constructionhereinafter described and claimed', it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment ofthe invention hereinafter disclosed can be made within the scopeof what is claimed -without departing from the spirit of the invention. .i

In the drawings wherein like numerals of reference f designate corresponding parts throughout the-several views V -f Figure 1 isla side view,- partly in cross sec-- tion,*of a dry closet constructed in accord ance with the invention.

. Figure 2 is a rear end viewy thereof. .l i

Figure 3 is a sectional view. on IineB-FS, Figurel.A t l` f' igure 4 is asimilar view with the valve member in thefreceiving position.` l v Figure 5 is atop plan view of the device. Figure 6 is a plan view of the valve meml ber and of associated parts. i 1 f 7 Referring in Vdetail to the drawings 1I denotes a closet bowl, which'is mounted on the top of al valve casing 2. vThecloset bowl 1 communicates with and is secured tothe top of a valve casing .2, as indicated at 3, and the upper portion of .the latter virtually `constitutes a lcontinuation ofpthevbo'wl 1. vThe closet bowl 1 is oblong and tapers to grad-v ually diminish its size fromits upper to its lowerend. f i

The valve casing 2 is formed to provideiaJ horizontally extending valve chamber 4 and a horizontally'extending passage chamber 5. The valve chamber 4 is disposed longitudinally above and .parallel to the passagechanb ber 5.an`d communicates with the latter. The passage chamber aisprovided with a dipped bottom 6, for thefpurpose to bel described, and communicates, at: respective ends, with the exhaust-pipe# of. an internal combustion engine. -Intother words, the valve casingv 2 is connected in an internal combustion engine exhaust pipe 7, and the;i latter y con municates with respective ends of thepassage chamber 5 lofthe valve casing 2.v A horizontally disposed, cylindrical valve memberLS is revolublymounted 4in the valve chamber .4. lThe ends of the valve :member 8 are provided withprojecting tr'unnio'ns 9, which are suitably :journaledorfrotation .in bearings 10 Vformedy on the endplates v11. The latter are detachably secured Vto the valve cas; ing 2 and .cover the respective ends of Vthe valve'chamberl 4. v i f The cylindrical valve member 8 is provided with a large, longitudinally extending pocket 12. The latter is `formed with sloped side and end"v walls, respectively 'indicated' at 13 and 14, which converge toward -therounded bottom 15.- The pocket 12 is open at the periphery ofthe valve member 8, and the size of this opening is exactly commensurateto the i i opening formed bythe converging lower ends of the tapering walls ofthe'closetbowl 1 as combinedwith theupper. portion of the valve casing 2. It will here be noted,^that the 4valve member 8 virtually` constitutes the bottomofthecloseti bowl l, and that when the va-lvemember` 8V is shifted tothe receiving positionthe pocket 12 will be inexact regisw tration with the lowervfend of the-closet vbowl 1, as 'clearly shown inl Figure 4.

ino

A seat 16 is mounted for vertical movement on the top of the closet bowl 1. The seat 16 is carried by a pair of supporting rods 17, which are fixed to and depend perpendicularly from respective ends thereof. The supporting rods 17 are slidably mounted in an annular flange 18 and in respective slide bearings 18. The flange 18 is disposed outwardly from and formed integral with the upper end of the closet bowl 1, and the slide bearings 19 are formed integral withthe closet bowl 1 adj acent to the lower end of the latter and at the front and rear thereof, respectively.

The lower end of each of the supporting rods 17 carries a fixed oblong gear link 20, Which-.surrounds fand. engage the :gears 21.` lhe latter v'are fixed` tothe outer proj ectingv ends of respective trunnions 9.

A collar 22 is fixed on each of the supporting rods 117 ata point below its projection through the flange 18. A spiral spring 23 is mounted on each of the 4supporting rods 17, one end of which abuts against the associated collar 22, andthe other end thereof against the slide bearing 19. I

T-he normal action ofthe springs 23, ,forces the'seat 16 to theJ elevated position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and further maintains the latter in such elevated position. The depression: of.` the seat16 jis'effected by the weight ofk the occupant, while its elevation is effected by the action of theisprings 23. Y, The -ratio Aof the gearing ofthe gears 21 relatively'to,respectivelgearjlinks 20 is such that the travel of the latter, during -the;ele` vation or depression of theseat. 16, will cause thevalve member 8 to rotate exactly onehalf turn. Theymovement of the seat 16 is limitedv anddetermined by thedistancecbetween'theseat 16 and the collars 22 on the supportingrods 171 .f When the sea'tf16- is in theelevated position,.fas illustratedl in Figuresl and 2,the valves member; 8 will .f be in the depositing position, with the-pocket 12 thereof in exact registration with the. passage chamberE15, Vas clearly shown in Figures Iv and.3.-When the'seat'V 16 is inthe depressed position, .the

l valve member 8 will be in thereceivingposition with thefp'ocket 12 thereof inexact reg'- istration with/the lower `end of the closet bowl 1, as clearly lshown in Figure 4. v The seatz16 is provided with a pair of .gui-de pins 24l-whichdepend from respective sides thereof and extend slidably through the bowl ange 18. The function ofthe guide pins 24 isto maintain the seat. 16-'on its proper horizontal plane during the depressing movementof the latter.' f l Y In practice,the operation; of my improved dry closet vas follows :A-The weight of the occupant upon the seat 16 willdepress the latter together` with Vthe ear links y2O carried bythe supportingfrods 1 Such depression 3 l;he gear linksv 20, through theirl engagekmentupon the dipped bottom 6 of the latter.

As the products of combustion are being exhausted through the passage chamber 5, the same will consume and dissipate all excrement deposited in the latterand; in the valve `member pocket 12. It will be IlOied that when the closet is not occupied the products of combustion act upon thepocket 12 and through the passage chamber 5 to maintain the latter and said pocket 12 in a clean,

sanitary` condition. The purpose of the dipped passage chamber bottom 6 is to retard the too sudden expulsion ofthe excrement therefrom and thereby subject the latter to consuming action of the products of combustion. Y To remove any noxiousodors, vapors, or gases from the bowl 1, a Ventilating pipe V25 is communicably joined therewith. The Ventilating pipe 25 is provided ,withY an angular connection 26 to an air pipe 27, which is open at both ends. `Thevspeed of travel of the vehicle equipped with my improved .device,zwi]lcause a continuous rush of yair through the air pipe 27, by which the vitiated air will` be forcibly drawn, by suction, from the bowl 1 and through .the -Ventilating pipe 25.

AIt will here be noted that the products of combustion can never enter the closet bowl 1, asthe width of the pocket712, at the periphery of the valve member 8, is less than thatv portionof the latter engaged by-either'side wall ofthevalve chamber 8. .By such arrangement, the pocket 12 cannot open to the pas-y sage chamber. 5until the saidlpocket 12 has been completely closed to the'closet bowl 1 andviceversa. i' The presentA invention provides a most efficient device of its kind, which is partie,- ularly adaptedfor aeroplanes, for completely'consuming and dissipating all excrement discharged therein by the utilization ofthe exhaust product from the internalcombustion engine employed for .propelling the vehicle. v WhatIclaim is: f I .In combinatioma 'dry' closetfof the character described comprising a valve casing including a passage chamber` and adapted to being connected I in the exhaust l conduit -for the products of combustion ofan internal combustion engine, said passage `-chamber communicating with .said exhaust conduit, a

closet bowl mounted on said valve casing, said closet bowl being provided with an annular outwardly disposed flange formedv integral with the upper end thereof, a vertically shiftable seat member disposed above said closet bowl, a cylindrical valve member formed with a pocket revolubly mounted in said valve casing and constituting a bottom for said closet bowl, said valve member being provided with a pair of trunnions projecting from said valve casing, a gear fixed to each of said trunnions, a pair of slide bearings carried by said closet bowl, a pair' of supporting rods carrying said seat member and slidably extending through said flange and said slide bearings oblong gear links carried at the lower end of said pair of supporting rods and engaging said gears for actuating said valve member, a collar fixed to each of said pair of supporting rods below said flange, resilient elements mounted on said pair of supporting rods intermediate of and engaging said collars and said slide bearings for normally shifting said seat member to the elevated position and for rotating said valve member in a direction to open said pocket to said passage chamber, a pair of guide pins being iiXed to and depending from said seat member and slidably extending through said flange for maintaining the horizontal plane of said seat member during the movements of the latter, the depression of said seat member actuating said valve member to open said pocket to said closet bowl.

In testimony whereof I afIiX my signature.

CHARLES B. SCHUMACHER. 

